Welcome to the College of Social Sciences!
Welcome to the College of Social Sciences!
I am delighted to welcome you to CoSS where people are at the center of what we do.
Our diverse academic programs are united by the idea that the world will be a better
place if we understand each other and the dynamic ways of being human.
Our mission is to empower change leaders through teaching and learning, cutting edge
research, and community engagement. Our graduates are positioned to tackle the fundamental
challenges of our age and to create a more just, humane, equitable, sustainable, and
generous world.
Innovation, Community. Impact. These core concepts inspire our imagination and motivate our engagement in the classroom
and beyond.
Innovation
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, the faculty and students in the College of
Social Sciences respond to the need to understand the impact of modern technology
on our increasingly complex and interconnected lives. Technological development is
better understood when we consider the social, cultural, political and environmental
contexts in which it occurs - this is where innovation happens.
- New degrees in Geographic Information Science, and Forensic Science offer advanced learning opportunities in cutting-edge fields.
- Our Spartan Experimental Economics lab is a state-of-the-art lab committed to the rigorous exploration of a diverse set of economic and social sciences topics.
Community
We partner with community, government, and private sector partners to realize the
impact of our work through strong alumni connections, meaningful community relationships,
and government and industry partnerships. All of our undergraduate degrees emphasize
community collaboration through service learning, or internships.
- The Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement (IPACE) educates leaders at all levels of government.
- Our Ethnic Studies Collaborative continues our outstanding legacy of community-based research, including the oldest Chicana/o Studies graduate program in the U.S. and a new major in Asian American Studies that builds on a deep history of advocacy.
Impact
We dedicate attention and resources to wicked social problems and their solutions.
Our students critically engage with complex social problems, generate dynamic solutions,
and develop leadership skills to transform our communities and future world.
- Our Spartan Psychological Associate Research Conference provides the opportunity for students to present their research
- Our new school of Planning Policy and Environmental Studies brings together students and faculty in the fields of Urban Planning, Public Administration, Environmental Science, Global Studies and Geography to address critical questions facing our region: climate change, housing, transportation, ecological health, policy change and community development, through advanced research, innovative teaching, and community-based service and scholarship.
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